Tour of Mont Blanc

This is the grande dame of all the long-distance mountain tours in Europe.  It’s a classic and it has it all: stunning scenery, pretty villages, good food, and well maintained trails which pass through three different countries (France, Italy, and Switzerland).  If a person could only hike one distance hike in the Alps, would I recommend this one?  Maybe.  But only if you could go at a time that avoids the crowds.  The prime time would be the first two weeks of July or the last week of August and first part of September.

The 10-day circuit I describe goes in a counter-clockwise direction, starting and finishing in Chamonix.  Chamonix is often crowded with tourists but an enjoyable town all the same.  Its setting is to-die-for and it still maintains some of its old-timey alpine village charm.  Avoid the most popular 10 blocks of the city center and you will fall in love with all it has to offer.  If you are lucky enough to arrive on a beautiful day by train from Martigny, Switzerland, you will take one of my favorite rides in the world on a little red train called the Mont Blanc Express.  I have taken this trip many times and I still stand at the window with chill bumps of excitement as the train climbs over the pass and drops into the Chamonix valley.

Hiking down from the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme

Day 0     Chamonix

I would arrive a little early and spend an extra day or two here.  There are several excellent day hikes out of Chamonix (some of which are lift-assisted for your ascent and/or descent) if you want to use your time to get in better shape.  A good place to stay is the centrally located La Chaumiere.  The prices are reasonable but not cheap.  It has a nice atmosphere and serves a good breakfast.  Another slightly less expensive option is Gite d’Etape La Tapia.  My favorite place to eat hands down is La Maison Carrier which is the less pricey restaurant option at the very deluxe Albert 1er Hotel.  This is a gourmet French eating experience but in a casual atmosphere. They have wonderful salad and dessert bars.  Their menu of the day is the best value.  Make a reservation.  It sometimes happens that you are in a pizza mood, even in France.  A good, moderately-priced option is Le Bartavel.  I adore good bakeries and Chamonix does not disappoint.  Patisserie Richard has excellent pastries, breads, and a few savory items for a light takeaway lunch. 

Day 1     Chamonix to Les Contamines Montjoie  

I recommend you actually start hiking at the Bellvue lift station just above the village of Les Houches, a few kilometers down the valley from Chamonix.  Unless you are a purist and want to walk every step of the tour, there is no need to walk the relatively boring valley floor from Chamonix west to Les Houches.  Nor do you need to slog up the 600 meters from Les Houches to the Bellvue lift station since the gondola awaits you just outside the village and you can spend your walking time and energy on more interesting sections of the trail.  There are regular buses that run from Chamonix to the Les Houches gondola station.  Enjoy the grand view (hopefully with visibility not restricted by bad weather) as you depart the lift house and get oriented to begin your hike.  The Tour of Mont Blanc wastes no time in giving you spectacular views of the different peaks of its massif and its neighboring mountains.  Today’s hike is not particularly demanding as days go for this tour but it could be challenging for some as a first day.  If you want to shorten it by 1-1.5 hours and reduce your overall elevation gain and loss, you could stay at warm and homey Refuge de Miage.  Even if you don’t spend the night here, it is a wonderful place to stop for a short rest and a beer or tart.  Otherwise, forward ho to Les Contamines where you will find a large assortment of lodging, restaurants, bakeries, and bars.  Stay at B&B La Ferme de Bon Papa for a nice room and good breakfast at a reasonable price.  Another good option, but at a much dearer price, is the Hotel Gai Soleil.  I have never found a particularly memorable dinner in this town so I have no restaurant recommendations to make.  There are always some decent food options in a village this size.

Enjoying some sustenance at Refuge De Miage

Day 2     Les Contamines Montjoie to Les Chapieux

Today’s hike is fairly long and demanding with an elevation gain of 1300 meters and loss (the more painful direction for me) of almost 1000 meters.  How nice that you can take the bus or taxi at the start of your day to a small church up the valley, Notre Dame de la Gorge, to cut off an hour of walking time.  You will pass over the famous Col de la Croix du Bonhomme today as you head south along the massif’s western flank.  This pass is known for bad weather so do pay attention to the weather signs and the time of day.  I have hiked this route four or five times and remember only once when I had perfect weather.  Some hikers will be headed for the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme which you pass before beginning your descent into the Valley of Les Chapieux.  This is a perfectly suitable overnight stop and does keep you from having to descend as far as the described route.  The large hut is functional but rather impersonal in atmosphere and I therefore prefer the little hamlet of Les Chapieux.  Stay at the warm and charming Auberge de la Nova and enjoy a delicious and satisfying dinner with them.  A hot shower, a great meal, and a comfortable bed is the perfect ending to this long second day.

Day 3     Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta 

Auberge de la Nova in Les Chapeiux

Today’s hike is not too demanding with a gradual ascent to the Col de la Seigne and a short descent to Rifugio Elisabetta.  You are crossing over into Italy and you will notice the cultural differences as soon as you reach the hut.  No matter where I am in the Alps, I always look forward to being in Italy.  That’s not to say that France is a place I want to leave.  Far from it.  But nothing, for me at least, beats the friendliness, warmth, and liveliness of the Italians.  Add to that their fantastic food and wine and you have an unbeatable combination.  Stay, of course, at Rifugio Elisabetta.  They have several smaller and private rooms to offer so be sure to ask for one when you book in advance (as you should always do on this tour).  They provide a warm welcome, a hot shower, and a very tasty hut dinner.

Day 4     Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur    

Get an early start today as you will want to enjoy the terrific views of the Italian side of Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco more appropriately at this stage) as you walk a balcony path in the latter part of the day.  If you are unfortunate enough to have bad weather, you can continue hiking the valley floor until you reach La Visaille where you catch a shuttle to Courmayeur.  Otherwise, take the route up to l’Arp Vieille and the Col Checrouit, which is longer and more demanding but worth every step.  In fact, the climb today is not very hard.  It is the downhill that is a real knee-basher (1500 meters in total).  Thank you, Europeans, for building as many lifts as you have.  You can reduce your descent by over 500 meters by taking the Maison Vieille ski lift to Courmayeur.  Beware though, this lift closes at around 5 PM (double check the time as it can change) so leave yourself plenty of time to make it here.  I have learned my lesson a few times too many by cutting it close on lift closing times and having to literally run a half mile to make the last chair down the mountain.  Not fun with a pack on.  You will find the village of Courmayeur to be as beautiful and charming as its French sister, Chamonix, but with an Italian flair.  My only frustration with this town is that it really has no good, affordable accommodation options.  I grumble about this each time I’m here and claim that I’m going to move here and make a fortune by opening my own reasonably-priced B&B.  It hasn’t happened after 25 years so I guess it’s not going to become a reality.  My current favorite hotel is the Hotel Dente del Gigante in the neighboring village of Entreves just 2.5 kilometers away. Frequent town buses run to Courmayeur and back.  This is a nice hotel, just a little more expensive than I would like.  Splurge a little on a wonderful Italian dinner at Pierre Alexis 1877.

Picnic lunch with views of the Italian side of Mont Blanc

Day 5     Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti 

In good weather the walk from Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti is likely to be the most memorable of your Tour of Mont Blanc.  Then, as if that is not enough, at the end of the day you stay at one of my favorite huts in the Alps.  Not just in Italy but in all the Alps.  I hesitate to associate too many superlatives with any one hike or hut because disappointment lies in the eyes of the beholder, especially when expectations are set too high.  But I truly love this hike and this hut.  I recommend you book a private or small room instead of a bed in a dormitory at Bonatti as it allows for a much better sleep at little additional cost.  If you have extra time after settling in and showering, enjoy a glass of Italian red on the balcony as you wait for dinner.  The view is nothing less than spectacular.    

Day 6     Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

Its time again to pass into another country and culture which is one of the fun aspects of this tour.  You will notice the changes soon after you cross over the col du Grand Ferret.  You’ll take lots of footsteps today as the hike is long but not too demanding.  It is another day with quite a bit of downhill (1400 meters).  Ugh.  As your feet and knees talk to you during those final few kilometers, you can take solace in the thought of the Swiss alpine village full of flowers that lies ahead.  La Fouly is small but offers everything you need.  Stay at the very pleasant Hotel l’Edelweiss.  The best value is their dormitory room (dortoir in French).  It is clean and comfortable, and if you are lucky, there won’t be too many other people sharing it with you. Ask for dinner and breakfast to be included in your reservation, called demi-pension.     

Day 7     La Fouly to Champex

This is the easiest stage of the tour and will probably be a welcome relief.  Champex is another beautiful Swiss village with the added benefit of a lovely lake at the center.  Notice the large mountain in the distance to the southeast which is the Grand Combin.  There is a hiking tour which circles this massif which you might want to do another time.  I like to spend a little more money than usual here and stay at Hotel Le Belvedere, a charming, small hotel with fantastic views of the Grand Combin.  Ask for demi-pension (breakfast and dinner included) because their food here is wonderful.  You are a slight bit past the half-way point so it’s a great time to treat yourself.  If you’d like a less expensive option, stay at the clean and comfortable refuge just outside of town called Relais d’Arpette.    

Day 8     Champex to Trient

You have to choose today between two routes which each arrive at the tiny little village of Trient.  The path via Alp Bovine is a wonderful walk which affords views down the Rhone Valley.  The more challenging, exposed variant goes via the Fenetre d’Arpette.  I have only hiked the former which has always been a lovely and pleasant route.  But if you want to tackle the latter (only recommended in good weather), you should be rewarded with spectacular views.  Stay at Hotel La Grande Ourse.

Chamonix

Day 9     Trient to Tre le Champ

Time to head back into France as you hike over the last pass of the tour, Col de Balme.  If you need to cut your circuit short by a day or are just feeling the call of the luxuries of Chamonix, you can take the chairlift down that you’ll see after passing over the col.  It takes you to Tour at the top of the Chamonix valley from where you catch the regular bus to Chamonix.  I have to say I have done this more times than not.  But if this is your first time to hike this circuit, I recommend you hike to Tre le Champ and stay at the lovely auberge La Boerne.  Tre le Champ isn’t much of a village at all but La Boerne is a sweet place that you won’t want to miss.  It is quite small but wonderfully charming and cozy.  Some might find the small dormitory-style rooms to be a little too cozy for comfort, but I find its warm atmosphere and simple but delicious French food more than worth it.

Day 10     Tre le Champ to Chamonix 

You get to finish your tour with one of the highlights of the entire circuit.  The views across the Chamonix Valley to the Mont Blanc Massif are outstanding throughout.  The latter part of your day is a balcony route called the Grand Balcon Sud where you will likely encounter lots of day hikers in addition to your TMB compatriots.  This path has some short bits of exposure but all are outfitted with the aid of cables or ladders.  Many guide books recommend that you take the detour up to Lac Blanc which is a small mountain lake about an hour’s walk from the main path.  I have always found this to be an underwhelming experience.  The lake is nice but by no means one of the most beautiful alpine lakes I’ve seen and attracts crowds on a beautiful day.  The path finally arrives at Planpraz where you can take a very enjoyable cable car ride down to Chamonix.  Put away your hiking sticks, pat yourself on the back, and dream about the tarte aux pommes that awaits you. 

Links

www.autourdumontblanc.com/en/